Getting Ready

As I have told you in the past weeks, we are going to be practicing your interviewing skills in the near future. What follows below is taken from Sunday's CareerBuilder section of the Arizona Republic. Read along and get an idea of why the practice interviewing will be happening.

It's the holy grail of the job-search process: the job interview.

But that final home stretch, where candidates hope to pass muster and snare a coveted position, can be fraught with nerves, tension and stammering -- especially when potential employers ask difficult questions.

Experts share some of their top tips to avoid feeling flustered and flubbing the interview.

Practice makes Perfect

Staci Johnson, director of marketing for California-based Ultimate Staffing Services, says practicing in front of a mirror can help by highlighting the facial expressions and mannerisms often employed during interviews, so that you can come across more calm and professional.

"It may sound weird, but it's better to see your nervous ticks and get used to the sound of your own voice before you're in the interview," Johnson says.

Everyone should practice, regardless of how confident they are about their skills, says Bobbi Moss, vice president and manager of Govig and Associates in Scottsdale,

"Too many people take the stance of, 'I can wing this, I've done interviews before,' " she says. "That's where problems start, and that's an invitation to a flustered interview."

Don't rush.

When an interviewer asks a question, Johnson says, don't be afraid to pause and think about not only your answer, but why the question is being asked in the first place.

"Never answer a question if you don't understand why they're asking it," she says. "An interview is not a quiz with right and wrong answers. It is a conversation so that you can each learn more about the other."

Be comfortable.

Johnson said trying on the outfit you plan to wear to an interview ahead of time can help a candidate remain relaxed.

"You should feel comfortable and not be distracted by pants that feel like the waist is too low when you sit or a blouse that is too tight or a suit jacket that seems to inflate when you sit down," she says.

Set the stage.

Moss says arriving 15 to 20 minutes early can help a candidate relax and acclimate to the work environment.

"This gives you time to take a deep breath, get ready, and offers an opportunity for the person to observe the culture of the office and build a rapport with the person out front," Moss says. "You're not running through the front door hoping to make it on time. That can rattle somebody right off the bat."

Know the company, know the interviewer.

It's imperative to be aware of the company's key functions, any recent market developments and their goals, Moss says. It's also equally important to learn as much as possible about the interviewer - where he or she went to school and their role within the company.

"LinkedIn, Google and Facebook make that a whole lot easier," she says.

Prepare a resume supplement, aka a cheat sheet.

A resume supplement is for the candidate's use and has important information listed in a way that makes it easy to refer to during an interview.

"It's a lifesaver," Moss says. "Many times people are asked information that is very specific, and you need to be able to retrieve it quickly in your mind."

The supplement can include start and end dates for previous jobs, salary history and quick facts about the company and the interviewer. You can also include answers to some tricky questions that may be asked during an interview, such as reasons for leaving a previous job, gaps in employment and salary fluctuations.

Ask questions.

At the end of the interview, potential employers may ask if the candidate has any questions. The answer is always yes. Prepare three questions that you can ask at the end of the interview. They can deal with where the company is going, its future goals and how the position a candidate is interviewing for fits in with the future of that company.

"If you don't have questions, the hiring manager thinks you're not curious enough or haven't absorbed what the company is about," Moss says.

So now what?

Now you have an idea of where this will be going and why but before you get there, I need 2 things from you. The first, a resume. I have a resume from most of you. Yes, there are a few without resume's, still. In today's new economy accompanying the resume is what you will work on: Letters of Introduction, aka the Cover Letter. Some of you have already given this to me. If so, we will talk individually about your next step.

To give you a better idea of why I want a letter, check your email. In my email you will find a document from me that introduces you to the current impressions of the cover letter.

So, what do I expect from you? I want to have a 2 paragraph letter of introduction. In the letter I expect to have basic information from you. This should be fairly easy to supply. Now for the trickier portion. This letter is targeting a potential internship or your actual internship. When you write the letter, tie it to a real situation, not just an academic exercise. Pay close attention to your closing too. Often letters end with no real idea of why the letter is being sent. Avoid this at all costs.

This will be an ongoing process, just as your resume's are (yes, many of you need to revise). Each time you write a cover letter the purpose will change. Today is the first step.

Now for the really tough part. Along with the aforementioned attachment in your email, you will find the SAR's for your afternoon class, Internships.

When are these due you ask? SAR's by Tuesday & Letter by Wednesday.